The Fight for Us Read Online Free PDF

eyes were puffy and swollen, pink from crying, and with one last sigh, Joss stood and returned to her frozen turkey. Her heart was broken for Harper, but she was also quite certain that heartbroken or not, she couldn’t make excuses for Harper’s behavior. She should have known this was happening. She should have known a lot longer ago than this day, that’s for sure.
    The chair scraped across the floor as Harper stood and left the room, and then she was alone to stare out the kitchen window to the rain beyond. Their small house had a lake view—albeit from a long ways off in the distance, but at the moment, the lake had disappeared behind the wall of water that was coming down. The wind was whipping that water into whirling clouds of misty air, and as her eyes became entranced by the pattern the wind was blowing the wet rainy air into, she set the turkey down once again. She washed her hands quickly, drying them on the dishtowel that hung from the stove, and then she grabbed her phone.
    She stared at the key pad for a moment, contemplating. Her heart was suddenly pounding, and her chest felt like it was trying to push up into her throat. And at the last second before she chickened out and set the phone back down, she dialed 4-1-1.
    She asked for Isaiah’s name, and when the operator asked if she should put the call through, Joss almost said no, but the yes came out before she could stop herself. She held the phone to her ear as it rang, and her pinky picked and ran over the gnarled scar tissue on her chin as she waited. She should hang up. It’s not as if this would likely go well, but then he was there, and it was too late.
    “Hello.”
    She cleared her throat, and then she cleared it again. “Uh… Isaiah?”
    “Who’s this?”
    “Joss…err…Joselyn Verna. Harper’s mom. Listen—”
    “You keep saying listen as though I owe you my attention.”
    And she cleared her throat again. “It’s just habit. Listen… Shit.”
    He chuckled for a moment, and she had no idea if it was an amused chuckle or a cruel one. She was pretty sure he was capable of both in equal measure.
    “I’m listening.”
    “I’m not stupid.”
    He was suddenly silent again.
    “Earlier you said you wanted to strangle me for being stupid. I’m just saying…I’m not stupid, and I didn’t appreciate you saying it.” Her fingers mindlessly moved to the scar on her chin, and when she’d nearly given up hope that he might actually respond to her, she cleared her throat.
    “I was upset. Convince me I’m wrong, and I’ll retract the statement.”
    He said nothing further, and her heart started pounding. He was damn near making her pull the conversation out of him, and it left her feeling nervous as hell and like an idiot at the same time.
    She finally took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. There was more to say than just that. Sadly, she chickened out and went for something a little less frightening than a prostrating apology. “What are you doing?”
    “Excuse me?” He seemed confused.
    “I just meant conversationally. You know… I’m trying to be nice, is all. What are you doing?” She shrugged her shoulders casually as though he could see her.
    “I’m lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if my roof is going to blow off. You?”
    “I was trying to cook.”
    “Trying…” He let the word trail off as he repeated her.
    “It doesn’t usually go well for me.”
    “I see. That must be why your child’s growth is stunted.”
    He was muttering, and she didn’t miss the passive-aggressive tone.
    “And your daughter’s tall. What’s your point? Are we really going to do this? Use our children to fight with each other?”
    She listened as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You’re right.” More silence before he finally spoke again. “Ms. Verna, why did you call me?”
    “Joss. Please.” Her heart started racing again. “I wanted to say I was sorry. I’m sorry about Harper’s